in self-defense
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The other man armed himself with a hammer in self-defense, police said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
He said he isn’t keen on revising the constitution, however, believing it would risk weakening Japan’s commitment to military action only in self-defense.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
The ruling amounted to a test case of South Carolina’s stand-your-ground law—which, like similar statutes in states around the U.S., provides criminal and civil immunity in self-defense killings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
In the case of Good, ICE has maintained the narrative that they were acting in self-defense, even though they had surrounded her vehicle and threatened her before she attempted to drive away.
From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026
Three weeks later, the team returned to the village with an assignment from their superiors: file a report detailing the villagers’ improvement in self-defense.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
